Preparing for the AP Environmental Science Exam

Getting Organized to Study You are putting information in long term memory! You are coordinating ideas under broader concepts You are connecting these ideas and concepts You are striving for a better understanding of the whole Use the Major Themes as a guide! Make good study notes to use in May!

Facts about the exam Part one: Multiple Choice Time: 90 minutes 100 questions with options a-e 60% of total grade NO CALCULATOR Be sure to have a good eraser: smudges can confuse the machine

Facts about the Exam Part Two: Free Response Time: 90 minutes 4 Questions 40% of total grade NO CALCULATORS All four questions are weighted equally About 22 minutes for each

Common Verbs Compare: point out similarities and differences, to examine 2 or more objects and consider the likenesses. Explain: Tell how to do( steps), tell the meaning of or why.. Give reasons for Describe: to give a picture or account of in words Discuss: to consider from various points of view

What to know about the multiple choice No penalty for wrong answers It may be to your advantage to guess if you can eliminate at least two It is not expected that everyone will finish so DO NOT spend too much time on difficult questions Use your time effectively

What to know for the Free Response Read all four essays first, pick the one you know best and start with that one DO NOT RESTATE the question Follow the directions EXACTLY Underline the key words. If it says two only answer two Give Clear and Concise answers Do NOT make lists. You must give the answer in complete sentences Do NOT use buzz words without an explanation, example- bioaccumulate

More on Free Response Know the common APES language, example- reduce or remediate Do NOT give up on a question there is a point there for you Make sure you do all your work in the PINK booklet Where explanation or discussion is required, support your answers Be aware of “negative” questions such as “ all of the following except”

Math Problems Remember NO CALCULATORS Problems are simple multiplication, division and addition Show every calculation in the PINK booklet Do NOT give up because you’re afraid of the math Read the free response carefully it’s not completely math so there can be points even if you can’t do the math

Designing an Experiment Hypothesis- If…….Then statement. Example – If the number of gypsy moths increase then the number of acorns will decrease. Control- Clearly indicate a control and the experiment Independent and dependent variable- Independent – the variable that is being changed Manipulative variable ( pH) What treatment will you apply dependent - the one that you are testing Responsive variable ( Frog) What will you measure Data or description of experiment – describe how you will take data, materials, organism etc. How it will be graphed an analyzed. State how you will draw a conclusion. Your experiment needs to be at least theoretically possible. Be consistent throughout.

Free Response Graphs Set up the graph with the independent variable along the x-axis and dependent along the y-axis Mark off axes in equal increments and label with proper units Plot points and attempt to sketch in the curve (line) If more than one curve is plotted, write a label on each curve ( this is better than a legend) Label each axis Give your graph an appropriate title( what is it showing)

Types of Free Response Data- analysis Document based Synthesis and evaluation

MAJOR THEMES Biosphere, the living world Cycling of matter Population Food Agriculture & Soils Solid Earth Land & Water Use Atmosphere/pollution Water/pollution Human Health Energy Laws & Influential people

General Misconceptions Niche & Habitat CO2 & CFC’s Atmospheric Ozone & Ground level Ozone Fission & Fusion Origin of Acids in the Atmosphere,Sulfuric & Nitric acids Convention & Alternative energy Passive and Solar energy

Most Common Names Rachel Carson – water pollution, Silent Spring Barry Commoner – Ozone, Closing Circle Hugh Bennet-soil conservation Lois Marie Gibbs – Love canal Al Gore – The Inconvenient Truth Garrett Hardin – Tragedy of the Commons John Muir – naturalist Gifford Pinchot – US Forest Service Theodore Roosevelt – set aside land national forests

Most Common Laws Air –Clean Air Act 1955 –Montreal Protocol 1987 – cut CFC’s –Kyoto Protocol greenhouse gases Water –Clean Water Act 1972 –Safe drinking Act 1974

More Laws Wildlife Conservation –Endangered Species Act 1973 –Lacey Act 1990 Toxic Substances –Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, & Liability Act 1980 ( CLERCA) Superfund –Hazardous Materials Transportation Act 1975, (HAZMAT)

More laws Pesticides –Federal Insecticide, Fungicide,& Rodenticide Act 1947, ( FIFRA) Noise –Noise Control Act 1965 Solid Waste –Mining Act 1872 –Solid Waste Disposal Act 1965

Environmental Agencies Bureau Of Land Management ( BLM) Center for Disease control (CDC) Department of Energy (DOE) Food & Drug Administration (FDA) National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) formerly Soil Conservation Service United States Geological Survey ( USGS)